Potter & Punch
A Story About Friendship
In a tall, twisty jungle tree,
He watched the big monkeys laugh and play,
But no one invited him over that day.
Lived a little monkey named Punch, as small as can be.
He tried to be brave. He tried not to sigh.
But sometimes his heart felt heavy inside.
“Maybe I’m different,” he whispered low.
“Maybe there’s nowhere I quite fit in or go. ”
When you feel little, when you feel small, When you feel like you do fit in at all, Lift up your heart, look around and see, A friend might be waiting like you for me!
One afternoon, when the sky turned pink, Punch sat alone on a rock to think. That’s when a small box arrived at his tree, Wrapped up gently, what could it be?
Inside was a toy monkey, soft and small, With fuzzy brown fur and arms long and tall. Punch hugged him tight and gave him a name, “Little Me,” he said. “We’re kind of the same. ”
He took him to swim, to the jungle gym, Punch took Little Me everywhere with him.
But even with cuddles soft and sweet, Punch still felt something missing deep.
When you feel little, when you feel small,
When you feel like you do
fit in at all, Lift up your heart, look around and see, A friend might be waiting like you for me!
Far away by a river so blue,
Potter the Otter was thinking, too.
He’d heard about Punch from Goose and Bear, A monkey who feels like no one ’ s there.
Potter blinked with tears in his eyes,
“No one should feel lonely inside.
I
think I know just what to do… I’ll send him a note to say ‘I'm thinking of you. ”
Potter packed a stuffed animal up with care, An otter with whiskers and soft brown hair.
He tucked in a note and drew a big star:
“To Punch the Monkey, my friend from afar.”
The package arrived the very next day.
Punch opened it slowly, unsure what to say. Out popped an otter puppet so bright, With a stitched-on smile and eyes full of light.
He read the note, with his voice low, “I’m your friend Potter, and I want you to know, Sometimes we all feel left out or small, But you are important. You matter to all. I haven’t met you, that part is true. But I already know I’d like to know you. You have friends you haven’t met yet, you see? And I would be proud if you’d choose me. ”
When you feel little, when you feel small,
When you feel like you do
fit in at all, Lift up your heart, look around and see, A friend might be waiting like you for me!
Punch blinked once. Then blinked twice more.
He’d never read words like that before.
“You want to be friends?” he softly said.
He hugged the otter puppet close to his head.
The very next morning, bright and new, Punch heard a voice call, “Yoo-hoo!”
Down by the river, near the big tree, Was Potter the Otter, smiling with glee!
Punch climbed down fast so he could see, “You really came? Just for me?”
Potter waved and said, “Hi Punch!
I brought you my favorite healthy lunch!”
They ate bananas, and sang songs,
Having fun all day long. They laughed. They splashed. They skipped some stones.
They didn't feel one bit alone.
And when the sun began to set, Punch whispered, “I won’t forget… Even when I feel left out or blue, There are friends I haven’t met, like you. ” Potter smiled and gave a squeeze.
“Friendship grows like jungle trees. You never know just who you’ll find… Kind hearts meet in perfect time.”
When you feel little, when you feel small,
When you feel like you do
fit in at all, Lift up your heart, look around and see, A friend might be waiting like you for me!
